St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-17
The Railroad Commissioners at Last Name
IT. James to be Chief Inspector
of Grain.
D. R. Noyes and D. R. MoGinnis and the
Bill to Provide for the State
Weather Service.
A Bill to Provide for Prof. Phelps
Salary at Duluth--The Overton
Case Concluded.
Doings in West st. Paul--Mail Distrt-
buttons in LIE Sueur--PriZe
Fighters Fined.
CHIEF GRAIN INSPECTOR.

j. A. James Receives the AppOints
Inent by the Railroad Commits
sion.-Was it a Political Trade?
The railroad and warehouse commission
ers held a meeting yesterday and elected j.
A. James, of Mankato chief grain in
spector. Gen. Becker said that Mr.. James
was the unanimous choice of the board.
Gov. Austin remarked that all the deputies
were appointed by the chief inspector. sub
iect to the approval of the board. Mr..
Gibbs said that he was in favor of retaining
Mr.. Clauser at Minneapolis. and thought
the sentiment of the board was that way.
To reach an agreement on who should be
appointed chief grain inspector has caused
a good deal of troublerto the railroad COM
misIoners. it is given out cold, by men
who opposed Mr.. James appointment, that
the appointment was practically dictated by
Gov. McGill through his relations with
Commissioner Austin, and was part OF
quantity of goods to be delivered" 1t
has been an open secret for some
time that there was difference
of opinion on the proper man
for the place between Commissioners Gibbs
and Austin, while Gen. Becker, being the
Democratic member of the board, did not
wish to assume to vote with either OF them
in opposition to the other. This is given
as the principal reason why the appoint
ment has been so long delayed. 1t IS
charged by those who advocated the APP
pointment of either Mr.. Gilbert or Mr..
Clausen, that the question came down to
Blue Earth county against the rest of the
state, and that the appointment of Mr..
James would be the carrying out OF po-
Iitical deal, destined to hold Blue Earth
county. in which Mr.. James lives when at
home. solid for McGill. Mr.. Gilbert was
generally endorsed by the Duluth men and
Mr.. Clausen by Minneapolis men. who
claimed that Mr., James had not sufficient
practical knowledge of the wheat business
to qualify him for the position of chief
grain inspector. Gov. McGill gave it out
to those who approached him that he was
NOT TAKING ANY HAND
in the matter but had left the entire selec-
tion to the commission.
Representative Reese, of Kandiyohi
county, where Mr.. Clausen formerly lived,
called on the railroad commissioners yes
terday before the appointment was made
and made some very strong statements to
Them He said that if Mr.. James was
appointed it would be death blow to Gov.
McGill if he ever wanted anything further
at the hands OF the people. He said:
Kandiyohi county gave McGill about half
the majority he got at the last election. 1t is
a strong Republican county, and is consid-
cred safe under any circumstances. But
tell you the people will find there is differ
ence between Republcanism and Mc(iillism.
A large number Of applicants besides
Messrs. James, Clausen and Gilbert were
before the commission with backings of
more or less strength, but the place was
given to Mr.. James, thereby redeeming a
pledge, according to the stories. Mr..
Clausen was asked by GLOBE man yes
terday if it were true as published, that he
had withdrawn his name in favor OF Mr..
Gilbert. This was before the appointment
was made. He said:
have not; nor in favor Of anyone else. I
am for Clausen first, last and all the time as
loug as there is show OF getting the place.
4 am in the field, and told the commissioners
so this morning. Further than that / have
nothing to say on the case. 1t would not be
proper for me to discuss the merits of any
man for the position.
The appointment by the commission
created good deal of comment wherever
their action became known last night.